Monthly Archives: July 2015

Politics, United States

The ABCs of the GOP: T is for TRUMP and friends

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If you followed the blog closely during the height of our last Presidential race, you may recall my extensive series about the state of the Republican Party– The ABCs of the GOP.  The series was an attempt to catalog just how far party leaders have strayed from what they professed as their essential ideals for the country.  This was of course back in 2012, and when all with that election was said and done, President Obama had a decisive victory in part because of the many internal problems on the other side.

But after everything that Republicans went through in 2012, it doesn’t seem that the party has learned any valuable lessons.  Bolstered by huge victories in 2014 (co-sponsored by all those people that didn’t care enough to vote), it appears that the GOP is preparing to venture down the same rabbit holes which cemented its downfall 4 years ago.

And the guy leading the way to that rabbit hole??  It’s none other than Billionaire media harlot Donald Trump.  As one can imagine, Democrats are enjoying every minute of the chaos, even giving Republicans a new nickname.  Here’s more from Colin Campbell of Business Insider…

The national Democratic Party released a new video Thursday that connects the entire Republican presidential field to the immigration remarks made by real-estate magnate Donald Trump.

The Democratic National Committee’s video is titled, “Retrumplican Party.”

The brief clip intersperses some of Trump’s most controversial comments with the other GOP candidates’ own statements against illegal immigration.

“Trump may be running for president,” the video concludes, “but his ideas are running the party.”

The video immediately spread like wildfire among political pundits, and “Retrumplican Party” started trending nation-wide on Twitter.

Of course we know that all Republican leaders do not agree with Donald Trump, and many of the more sensible ones have come out in direct opposition to his heinous comments.  But now for the third week in a row, the top message being conveyed from Republicans is directly from Donald Trump.

Only this week have we finally got a close second from 2016 front-runner Jeb Bush.  Mr. Bush, who was born to a life of exceptional privilege and is the son and brother of two presidents, thinks the rest of us should be working longer hours to help improve the United States economy.  Sheesh!!

But in any event, the point remains.  Once again, Republicans can’t seem to learn from their very recent past.  As long as the Party’s “big tent” is controlled by a ravenous coalition of Primary voters, it’s going to be difficult to ‘Dump the Trump’.  For the sake of our entire political system, let’ s hope that reason prevails this election cycle.

Retrumplicans

Texas Politics

Texoblogosphere: Week of July 6th

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The Texas Progressive Alliance congratulates the USWNT on its awesome FIFA Women’s World Cup win as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Off the Kuff reports that thousands more Texas state employees are now eligible for spousal benefits thanks to the SCOTUS ruling on same sex marriage.

Libby Shaw at Texas Kaos and contributing to Daily Kos observes that it should be obvious the state’s government has become a gathering place for crooks, crony capitalists, religious fanatics, homophobes, racists and misogynists. Texas Governor Cruel.

SocraticGadfly takes a look at American exceptionalism, and the subject of counterfactual history, to produce some musings about the Fourth of July and American independence.

There are two things that will probably keep Sen. Bernie Sanders from acquiring the Democratic nomination for the US presidency, writes PDiddie at Brains and Eggs in the first of two posts on the topic. Clue: one of them isn’t money, and the other isn’t the questionable intelligence of the average American voter.

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And here are some posts of interest from other Texas blogs.

The Lunch Tray updates us on her “pink slime” legal case and her use of Texas’ shield law.

Eric Berger explains why some rocket launches fail.

Elizabeth Rose has no trouble reconciling her Christian faith with same sex marriage.

Cody Pogue finds no good reason to oppose same sex marriage.

Two Houston Tomorrow interns share their bus-riding experiences.

 

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Texas, United States

On This Independence Day

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On this Independence Day, the great experiment of the Democratic Republic goes on. And in the wake of recent historic decisions by our nation’s Supreme Court, this holiday has a particular tinge of patriotism for those in the LGBT community, and those who support them.

For others, evaluation of the “more perfect union” is still very much up for debate. As an American people, we still have many issues to tackle small and great.  But for today, let us be reminded of what makes America great… that centuries-long struggle to improve.

Happy 239th to the United States of America!!

 

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Texas Politics

El Paso Business Leaders Criticize Donald Trump’s Racist Remarks

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Donald Trump may be winning hearts and minds among fringe members of the “Republican” (TEApublican?) base, but he is not making many new friends along the Texas-Mexico border.  The candidate’s recent comments have received swift backlash from business leaders across the country, and now we can add the voices of the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to that growing list.  Here’s more from Lindsey Anderson of the El Paso Times…

The El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the nation’s only Hispanic woman governor, New Mexico’s Susana Martinez, have joined in criticizing Republican presidential candidate and billionaire Donald Trump’s disparaging comments about Mexican immigrants.

The El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce released a statement saying its members were “disappointed” by Trump’s “harsh and insensitive rhetoric.”

Document ›› El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce responds to Donald Trump’s immigration statements

“We recognize the adverse effects that racially charged and discriminatory words can have,” the chamber wrote in a two-and-a-half page statement. “His speech was not only exclusionary, but also inappropriate for a presidential candidate.”

When announcing his presidential campaign two weeks ago, Trump said Mexicans immigrating to the United States are “bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.”

“And some I assume are good people,” he added.

His comments led Univision and NBC to pull out of televising the Miss USA pageant that Trump co-owns, and many businesses including Macy’s have cut ties with the billionaire.

Here’s video of what Trump said…

In recent polls of Republican primary voters, Trump is currently near the top of the field among sixteen others vying for the party’s nomination.  And for that reason alone, it is critical that other prominent leaders lambaste his clearly racist comments.  The fact that a significant portion of the Republican party is seriously considering Trump as a legitimate presidential candidate should cause alarm for everyone invested in our political system.  Kudos to the El Paso Hispanic Chamber and Governor Martinez for making it clear to everyone where they stand.  Let’s hope that other prominent leaders (especially those running against Trump) follow suit.

Equality, Texas Politics

Texas Grants Benefits to Same-Sex Spouses of State Employees

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In the wake of the Supreme Court’s big decision on June 26th, most of what Texans have been hearing on the news is rightly about marriage. Even if some counties across the state continue to hold-out, the general trend is that they will eventually fall in line and comply with federal law.  At present, 115 counties across the Lone Star State are now issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. They have come to this decision even in spite of grandiose promises from Attorney General Ken Paxton stating that counties *can* continue to refuse licenses to same-sex couples… as long as they are cool with risking a mountain of potential litigation.

While Paxton continues his quest for fantasy adjudication, other agencies across the state are moving forward.  Effective today, Texas Public Employees can now receive benefits for their same-sex spouses.  Here’s the story from Tom Benning of the Dallas Morning News…

AUSTIN — The state bureaucracy is moving forward to comply with the U.S. Supreme Court’s gay marriage decision, even as statewide elected leaders, including Gov. Greg Abbott, have lambasted the landmark ruling.

Starting Wednesday — less than a week after the decision — the Employees Retirement System of Texas, the University of Texas System and the Texas A&M University System will extend benefits to spouses of gay and lesbian employees.

That means the list of employers providing same-sex partner benefits will include the state’s largest: the state itself.

[…]

The tangible developments highlight a divide between political rhetoric and practical reality on the emotional issue.

“Honestly, for the first time today I walked onto campus and I felt equal,” said Lisa Moore, an English professor at UT who had pushed for same-sex benefits. “I felt like I was being paid the same as a heterosexual employee.”

Employees in the ERS system (Employees Retirement System of Texas) have already been notified that spouses can receive benefits starting today if they were legally married before June 26th.  If they are recently married, their partners can receive benefits within 30 days of the employee filing.

So if you didn’t catch the irony here, Governor Abbott and Attorney General Paxton are encouraging county officials to basically ignore the ruling, yet they are doing nothing to prevent large state agencies from compliance.  What’s the word here… hypocrisy?  

In any event, it’s good that some state leaders see the writing on the wall.  For the hundreds of thousands of public employees across Texas, and especially the tens of thousands that are directly affected, today is yet again equality day.

So enjoy, and make sure to get your wives and husbands signed up!!

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